From zero to hero: Sean Manganti redeems himself with game winner

CLUTCH. Sean Manganti delivers the win for Adamson Falcons. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

What looked to be a moment of despair turned into a flash of brilliance for Adamson University’s Sean Manganti.

The Soaring Falcons were locked in a fiery duel against University of the Philippines in the UAAP Season 81 men’s basketball tournament and it needed a couple of heroic plays from both teams to settle the match.

But it was Manganti who turned a spark of near defeat into an outburst of magic as the Soaring Falcons stunned University of the Philippines, 69-68, Wednesday at Filoil Flying V Centre.

Manganti with the winner! Ahanmisi with the steal! Adamson pulls off the comeback! 69-68. #UAAPSeason81 pic.twitter.com/C57bF41fsr

— Bong Lozada (@BongLozada92) September 26, 2018

“It was a scramble at that point and I was telling myself that I will never quit until the final buzzer sounded,” said Manganti who nailed the Soaring Falcons’ game-winner with just 0.7 seconds left.

With 5.7 seconds left on the clock, Manganti got the inbounds pass from near the left elbow then proceeded to drive the lane and hand the ball off to Papi Sarr for a layup.

READ: UAAP: Manganti game-winner lifts Adamson past UP 

UP center Bright Akhuetie, who gave the Maroons a 68-67 lead in the previous possession, blocked Sarr and got his hand on Manganti’s pass.

Akhuetie, though, couldn’t get possession and Manganti’s quick wits allowed him to recover the ball fast enough to get a shot up.

And although the shot looked like it was borne of pure luck, Adamson head coach Franz Pumaren said it wasn‘t so.

“I have to give respect to my skills coach because we practice that shot and these players can attest to that,” said Pumaren, who joked that Sarr should treat Manganti for not blocking out Akhuetie underneath.

“The play wasn’t really for Papi but we were able to attack. I think Sean at that time was being too generous when he dropped the pass to Papi,” said Pumaren whose team improved to 4-0. “I was telling Papi during our huddle that he should treat Sean because that was his fault for not blocking out Akhuetie.”

Manganti’s game-winner not only maintained the Soaring Falcons’ perfect record but it also exorcised the demons from his past game against University of Santo Tomas when he went scoreless in their 79-71 win.

“I just tried to be consistent,” said Manganti who led Adamson with 18 points. “The bottom line is we got the win but individually I just want to be consistent.”